December 26 may not be a particularly notable day for most, but there are still some interesting events and occurrences throughout Missouri history that have taken place on this day. Here are five of them:

1. The Battle of Lexington ended in Missouri in 1861.
The Battle of Lexington was a significant battle of the American Civil War, fought from September 13-20, 1861. On December 26, the Confederate army under General Sterling Price finally surrendered to Union forces, ending the battle and essentially relinquishing control of Missouri to Union troops.

2. The country's first nuclear power plant opened in Missouri on December 26, 1960.
Located in the town of Fulton, the Callaway Nuclear Generating Station was the first nuclear power plant in the United States to begin commercial operation. It is still in operation today and provides electricity to much of Missouri.

3. The legendary drag racer Don Garlits was born on December 26, 1932.
Don Garlits is considered one of the greatest drag racers of all time and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1989. He spent much of his racing career driving Swamp Rat, a dragster he designed and built himself.

4. Missouri experienced one of its worst ice storms on December 26, 2006.
The ice storm that hit Missouri on December 26, 2006 was one of the worst in state history, causing widespread power outages and damage. Some areas of the state were without power for up to two weeks and the storm was blamed for several deaths.

5. The first African American chief justice of the Missouri Supreme Court was born on December 26, 1946.
William Ray Price Jr. was born in Kansas City, Missouri and went on to become an influential and respected member of the state's legal community. He served on the Missouri Supreme Court for over two decades, including being named chief justice in 2009.